Podcast Summary:

“The Directors of "Project Hail Mary" on Creating a Heartwarming Space Epic”
Podcast: All Of It with Alison Stewart
Host: Alison Stewart, WNYC
Date: March 18, 2026
Guests: Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Co-directors, Project Hail Mary)

Overview

In this episode, Alison Stewart sits down with renowned directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller to discuss their highly anticipated film adaptation of Andy Weir’s bestselling novel, Project Hail Mary. The conversation delves into the challenges and joys of translating a heartwarming, science-driven space epic to the big screen, the casting of Ryan Gosling, the creation and puppeteering of the alien co-star Rocky, and the film’s resonant, optimistic themes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Adapting Andy Weir’s Novel

• Emotional Core and Optimism:
  Chris Miller describes what drew them to Project Hail Mary:

  "It was full of like wonder and awe and spectacle, but at its heart were these very small, intimate relationships...even though it was about an apocalyptic event, it was really optimistic and hopeful and emotional and funny." (04:13)

• Balance of Science and Story:
  Phil Lord adds:

  "A sweet, funny movie about the end of the world that works." (04:48)

2. Casting Ryan Gosling as Dr. Ryland Grace

• Versatility and Depth:
  Phil Lord explains the importance of casting someone who could encompass the full emotional spectrum:

  "You need somebody with that breadth of experience for a story where he has to be terrified, he has to be bashful, he has to form this relationship with a rock...so you get to have all of those Ryan Gosling moves in a single movie." (05:06-05:35)

• Preparation and Detail:
  Chris Miller notes Gosling’s commitment even before filming:

  "He's so thoughtful and so creative. He sweats all the details, like us...he had fallen in love with the book as well, and what would make the most engaging story." (05:58-06:07)

• Playfulness and Chemistry:
  Phil Lord on creating scenes with puppeteers:

  "Watching him be so nimble and responsive to these different performers and their energy...let us know that on set we were going to be in great shape." (06:27)

3. The Character of Ryland Grace

• A Relatable Hero:
  Chris Miller discusses why Grace’s vulnerabilities are essential:

  "It's hard for me to relate to a character who, from the jump, is like, I'll drive into that burning building and save those kittens and has no fear, no vulnerabilities, no weaknesses... Bravery to me isn't about not being afraid of something. It's about being afraid and then doing it anyway." (07:57-08:41)

• Directors’ Own Experiences with Bravery:
  Both reveal their own social anxieties and relate to Grace’s journey:

  "I'm an inside cat, and somehow this job keeps putting me outside." – Phil Lord (08:52)

4. Mixing Science with Accessibility

• Scientific Accuracy vs. Engagement:
  Phil Lord likens their approach to a “heist film”:

  "It's really fun to watch people do a job well on screen...Ryan said, you know, I am not a molecular biologist, but I can play engagement." (09:49-10:36)

• Collaboration with Andy Weir and Drew Goddard:

  "Having Andy Weir as a producer meant that he was around and made sure that our science was accurate...Drew Goddard, who wrote the screenplay, is great at...condensing concepts that are complicated into digestible, entertaining little nuggets." (10:36)

5. The Film’s Warmth, Humor, and Music

• Avoiding Cynicism:
  Chris Miller reflects on the film’s tone:

  "It's a movie about friendship and about communication and empathy...our favorite dramas make you laugh and our favorite comedies make you cry." (11:29-12:13)

  Phil Lord adds:

  "It feels punk rock to make an affirming movie that means the audience well." (12:13)

• Music Choices:
  Inspired by the global scale and Grace's teaching background:

  "We wanted it to feel like a mixtape from planet Earth...the score, as Phil said, from Daniel Pemberton, has a large choral element and a very human feeling." (13:06)
  "Daniel brought in a whole class full of kids to clap and stomp and make the percussion for, like, the climactic action sequence." (13:30)

6. Bringing Rocky to Life

• Practical Effects and Puppetry:
  Lord and Miller explain why the alien co-star is a puppet, not CGI:

  "If it was Ryan talking to a tennis ball on a stick and imagining conversations, it wouldn't have had the same back and forth...it took five people to operate the puppet...At the end of the day, it ended up being about 50, 50 animation and puppetry." (14:21-15:04)

• Improvisation and Real Reactions:

  "Oh, my God, it was so much improvisation. The hardest thing to do in a movie like this...is to make sure that the process accommodates spontaneity." (15:12-15:14)

• Designing Rocky:

  "Like hundreds. Hundreds. For a year and a half, we designed this little guy...trying to get something that felt appealing." (17:26-17:31)

  "Once we finally got the size relationship right, then we went to all this detail about the carvings on his body...he's an appealing character, and you fall in love with him." (17:31-18:06)

7. Building Realistic Sets

• Practical Sets over Visual Effects:

  "We had an amazing production designer...and they were psychopaths about making this interior of the spaceship and exterior look as real as possible...you really felt like you were inside of a spaceship." (19:19)

• Engineering Challenges:

  "The spaceship itself has two different gravitational orientations...every set had to be taken apart and then put back together on its side for the scenes in which the gravity was on the wall." (19:49-20:16)
  "We built this tunnel that was going to be semi translucent...we had to build this light array around the tunnel." (20:16)
  "We were like the rats of Nim stealing power from the farmer." (21:27)

8. Casting Sandra Hüller as Ava Stratt

• Why Sandra Hüller:

  "She just has so much versatility...she's in this movie called Tony Erdman where she's hysterical..." (21:54-22:16)

  Chris Miller appreciates Hüller’s nuance:

  "That part could have been played just sort of stereotypically like...an ice queen. But she brought all this warmth and humanity to a person who has to make tough decisions, you know, to try and save the world." (22:16-22:46)

9. Editing and Audience Reception

• Test Screenings and Audience Feedback:

  "By the time we locked the cut, we'd seen it with an audience something like 15 times...it's less about the feedback that they write down and more about the feeling in the room with all the other chickens that you have watching them and experiencing the film with them." (23:06)

  "You can feel when people are engaged, and you can feel when people are checked out...you want to make sure that you're just giving just enough to make it not confusing, but also not like a lecture hall." (23:38-24:01)

• The Theater Experience:

  "It's this like empathy workout that happens in the theater." (24:04)

10. Underlying Themes: Collective Action and Hope

• Parallels with the Real World:
  Phil Lord on communal problem-solving:

  "It's never a bad time to tell a story about what we are capable of when we work together and imagine that difficult things are possible. That's what I love about Andy's work — problems can be solved." (24:38)

  Chris Miller on reading the manuscript during the pandemic:

  "If we can communicate and work together on things, we can solve problems." (25:01)

  Phil Lord on urgency and optimism:

  "To me, it bothers me when problems are presented as impossible to solve because we just...there's too much evidence to the contrary." (25:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Chris Miller:
  "Bravery to me isn't about not being afraid of something. It's about being afraid and then doing it anyway." (08:41)
• Phil Lord:
  "It feels punk rock to make an affirming movie that means the audience well." (12:13)
• Chris Miller:
  "We wanted it to feel like a mixtape from planet Earth." (13:06)
• Phil Lord:
  "The chemistry with Ryan can't be faked. You know, you can't do that in post." (15:04)
• Chris Miller:
  "We road test a lot, and it's less about the feedback...more about the feeling in the room with all the other chickens that you have watching them and experiencing the film with them." (23:06)

Important Timestamps

• 04:13 – How the source material’s heart and optimism inspired Lord & Miller
• 05:06 – Why Ryan Gosling was essential for the role
• 06:07 – Gosling’s preparation and engagement with the project
• 08:41 – Discussing vulnerability, bravery and relatability in the main character
• 09:49-10:56 – Conveying complicated science in an accessible, engaging way
• 13:06-13:30 – Approach to music: human warmth and a “mixtape from Earth”
• 14:21-15:14 – Making Rocky a puppet, not a CGI character, for genuine performances
• 17:26-18:06 – Rocky’s lengthy design process and final touches
• 19:19-21:30 – Building and lighting the spaceship and tunnel sets
• 21:54-22:46 – The power and nuance of Sandra Hüller’s performance
• 23:06-24:04 – Editing, test screenings and the communal theater experience
• 24:38-25:32 – Project Hail Mary's metaphor for collective action and hope

Summary & Takeaways

By blending scientific accuracy with emotional intimacy, Lord and Miller sought to make Project Hail Mary not just a visually spectacular film, but a heartfelt, optimistic, and genuinely funny movie. Their collaboration with Ryan Gosling and the creative team led to innovations like the use of advanced puppetry, global music influences, and authentic practical sets. Above all, the directors hope the movie inspires audiences with its message: even in the face of existential threats, collaboration, empathy, and a little humor can save the day.

Recommended for:
Fans of science fiction, heartfelt drama, Ryan Gosling, Andy Weir's novels, and anyone who enjoys films that fuse spectacle with hope and humanity.